Leading Lights: Charting a course for the future of maritime heritage
National Historic Ships UK has received support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for our new Leading Lights project. Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, this project aims to invest in historic vessels UK-wide, making the sector more resilient, connected and informed. Leading Lights will create a lasting legacy, empowering NHS-UK to grow and consolidate its support for the sector over the two decades to come.
Initial development funding of £140,040 has been awarded by the Heritage Fund, with a £15,560 match-funding award from the Pilgrim Trust, which will help NHS-UK progress its plans to apply for a full National Lottery grant of £1.2m at a later date.
The project is designed to support craft on the National Register of Historic Vessels, as well as the infrastructure and techniques needed to maintain and conserve them. With many vessel custodians facing significant pressures and 30% of the National Historic Fleet identified as being at risk, the UK’s maritime heritage will continue to decline without this much-needed funding.~
Skills
During the delivery phase of this project, heritage will be revitalised through organisational health checks, with professional follow-up support. Custodians will be upskilled with improved planning and risk assessment tools, practical maintenance training and online workshops.
Volunteering
A Virtual Volunteering scheme will engage communities with less access to the water, whilst future proofing and contingency planning guidance will build on previous climate change research, helping custodians to forward think, adapt and mitigate likely impacts.
Registers Review
The National Historic Ships Registers will be reviewed, ensuring that the Historic Fleet remains an effective means of prioritising funding, with digital recording of selected at risk vessels. A 20-year masterplan for NHS-UK will increase its capacity to support the sector in the longer term, with greater regional networking opportunities.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter for all the latest updates on the Leading Lights project.